42 THE AUKS 



the Greenland coasts, etc. The time of arrival at the breeding-places 

 seems to vary somewhat, and is recorded at different stations from 

 February 25 (Nansen), March 2 (Dr. Neale), and March 9 (W. S. 

 Bruce), while Pike did not notice it on Spitzbergen till March 28. 

 Rotches are extremely sociable birds, and are almost always to be met 

 with in flocks. When they reach their breeding-places they seem to 

 observe regular hours, setting out for the open sea to feed in a steady 

 stream, and returning later in broken lines to the rocks. During April, 

 May, and early June, W. S. Bruce notes that the breeding cliffs were 

 sometimes thickly tenanted, and again at other times apparently 

 deserted. After June 10, however, serious breeding operations began, 

 and from this time onward the rotches were regularly seen on the 

 cliffs. The breeding birds are accustomed to travel considerable 

 distances in search of food, so that one comes across flocks busily 

 engaged in feeding many miles away from the breeding-ground. 

 Chapman describes them as swimming rather deep in the water, and 

 " by the stern," while the Rev. A. E. Eaton gives an amusing descrip- 

 tion of the return of a feeding-party. " The rotche when it flies has 

 always the appearance of being rather behind its time : it seems in 

 such a tremendous hurry, and starts off with its mouth crammed full 

 of food, as if it had been suddenly called away in the middle of dinner. 

 You may see a party of them on the water six or seven birds take 

 wing together to return to their nests. You think they are all gone, 

 but you are wrong : for without pausing for an instant to see where- 

 abouts they are, Nos. 8, 9, and 10 come flying up from under water, 

 one after the other, and take after the others at full speed." 1 As will 

 be seen from the above extract, the rotche is an expert diver : in fact, 

 he is somewhat disinclined to trust to his wings when disturbed by 

 the approach of a ship, and has a knack of splashing and scuttering 

 along the surface of the water, as if unable to fly, till he meets an 

 approaching wave, and promptly dives into it. 2 Enormous flocks are 

 sometimes to be met with : a single shot has been known to bring 



1 Zoologist, 1874, p. 3819. * Saunders, Manual, p. 706. 



